Creating a Fill In the Blanks activity

Requires a SMART Learning Suite subscription

Fill In the Blanks is a fun activity where students drag words or numbers into blanks.

Write a sentence or paragraph that includes up to ten blank spaces, then let students drag the missing words into the blanks.

This activity teaches deduction, composition, and memory.

Here’s an example of a Fill in the Blanks activity based on Lewis Carroll’s nonsense poem, ‘‘Jabberwocky.’’

This example was created by typing the poem’s first two stanzas and then selecting words to appear as blanks.

Follow the instructions below to create your own version of this activity.

Follow the instructions below to create your own version of this activity. When you’re done, tap the Preview button to see how the activity will work for students.

To create a Fill In the Blanks activity

1. Click Activities in the SMART Notebook toolbar.

   The Select an Activity dialog box opens.

   

   To create a new lesson that contains this activity: From the Home page, click the Add Activities button and select Game Based Activities.

   OR

   To add this activity to an existing lesson: From the Home Page, open the lesson in Editing mode, scroll in the page sorter to the point where you want to insert the activity, click and select Game Based Activities.

   The Game Based Activity Templates window opens.

2. Select Fill In the Blanks.

   The activity’s editor opens.

3. In the Edit text area, type or paste the text to use in the activity.

   Tip 

   You can add up to 300 characters. The character counter shows you how many characters are left.

4. In the Check Answers section to the right of the text box, select one of these options:

   • When Prompted – a Check Matches button appears in the activity so players can decide when to check their work.

   • Instantly – players see whether the answers are correct right away.

   • Don’t check – players cannot see answers.

5. Below the text box, click Define Blanks and then click a word. The word becomes a blank that students will fill in.

   TipS

   • Use the sizing handles to change your selection. Like this:.

   • To remove a blank, click it again.

6. Continue to select words to appear as blanks.

7. When you’re done, click Next.

8. Select a theme for your activity and click Finish.

   Tip 

   Select Custom Theme to choose the font style, layout, and add your own background image.

   The activity loads and then appears on a new lesson page.

To play a Fill in the Blanks activity

1. Navigate to the lesson page that contains the activity.

   Open the lesson that contains the activity in Delivery mode, and then navigate to the page with the activity, and tap Start.

   Tip 

   To enable your students to play the activity or to make contributions from their own devices, see Connecting student devices.

   Tip 

   If you’re delivering this activity at the classroom display, you can add a buzzer, timer, or randomizer game element to facilitate group play. Tap to open the game element selector, and see Adding game elements.

2. Have students work individually, in teams using their devices, or as a class at the board, to drag the words or numbers into the correct blanks.

   Tip 

   The activity controls appear in the top right corner of the page:

   • Use to turn activity sound on or off.

   • Use to restart the activity.

   • Use to modify the activity.

   Tip 

   If you’d like to play again, use to erase the activity data and start over.

To review a Fill in the Blanks activity

1. Tap the Check answers button that appears when the activity is complete.

2. If an answer is correct, a appears beside it. If an answer is incorrect, a appears beside it.